First Pygmy Cory Spawn

[DiddleBug]

Well, it's only been a few weeks and they spawned again!  I really don't want them to because both my tanks have bronze fry in them and I don't want them to grow used to eating eggs as some of them will be my new breeding group.  I might have to sell the 6  lovebirds to LFS or something!

 

[Robbo89]

I've heard that cherry shrimp in a cory tank will actually pick off any fungus infected eggs, while leaving healthy eggs alone. Would be cool to try and breed my panda cories when I get them! Could you post a picture of your tank setup (no fusses with quality) so that I could try and copy it? And also your water parameters (temp, ph, etc) Thanks and good luck!

 

[DiddleBug]

Yeah, I'd even gotten some RCS but all 9 of 10 died on me. I think it had to be the well water. Anyway, here are all my tank parameters.

Ph: 7.4
Nitrates: 0
Ammonia: 0

Besides that I don't do any other tests. I also have sand and that is just great for breeding/keeping cories. I kill aquarium plants, so I just use nice plastic ones. Live or live frozen foods and every day or every other day 1/3 water changes (something like that) are what condition them for breeding. The best method I've found is to spawn the adults (10 gallon is a nice size, not too large), take the adults out, and leave the eggs (with a sponge filter or a safe filter and air pump). The fry do great on hikari fitst bites and I've had hardly any deaths with my bronze fry that way. (Pygmys were really small so they were harder.) Good luck with the pandas!

 

[Shaddex]

Best fry food Ive found so far is either BBS (Easy to hatch and cheap) or get some dried Blood worms and grind them up.  Twice a day feeding..
Best way to get them to hatch, Ive found(tm) :

• Separate Hatchery with clean water, dosed with Meth Blue.
• Water change of 20% daily until they hatch, then 99% water change and rinse sand to get rid of any meth blue there.
• Tank temp at about 23C
• Air powered Sponge filter.

Following the above, Ive managed to breed Albino's, Bronze, Peppered, Loxozonus/Schwartzi, Gold Lasers.
90% Hatched, then 90% fry survived apart from the Loxozonus which I had 100% loss, twice, as I didnt use meth Blue.
Ive now used Meth blue on the Lox and have 90% hatched again.
 
You can also save on space and money if you put a 10l (ish)  tank into your breeding/community tank and float it half full.
This way you dont have to put a heater into the hatchery.

 

[DiddleBug]

Oh, forgot to add I have the tank at 76-78 F and is hatching eggs 80F.  I think different methods work well for different people.  The best way is to try them out and see what works!

 

[Shaddex]

I think different methods work well for different people.  The best way is to try them out and see what works!

 
+1 

 

[DiddleBug]

Thanks.

 

[Robbo89]

Awesome can anyone confirm that having red cherry shrimp in with the eggs does actually benefit them? I'm sure I read somewhere that they are known for their ability to clean out fungus infected eggs and therefore 'save' the healthy ones... must go looking for this anonymous source...


Ah! "Some hobbyists even use certain species of freshwater shrimp to pick any fungal spores from healthy eggs. Cherry shrimp,Neocardina heteropoda work well. These will eat diseased eggs, but leave healthy ones unharmed."

 

[DiddleBug]

I've heard from like 10 different people that they help the eggs.  They can't get through their thick shells so they just eat the fungus. I can't say I've tried it out, but it wouldn't hurt for you to give it a shot.

 

[Robbo89]

Yeah I'm tempted to give it a shot, but have no idea where I would find red cherry shrimp around Brisbane

 

[DiddleBug]

I got mine here on ebay.  They came alive and healthy. http/www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC1&_nkw=red+cherry+shrimp&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[Robbo89]

Interesting, never ordered fish online before. So you would recommend it? Sounds like a nice 'ease the pain of it almost being monday' gift to myself!

 

[DiddleBug]

Yep, it would be fairy cheap and very easy to get them online.  Just check and make sure the source is good and has sold some before and has good feed back.